**Steve Brine** (b. 1951, Boreham Wood). Interviewed 22 April 2026.

Son of a Wimbledon rider with a 17-year career (1946–1962). Extensive family involvement: two uncles also rode, another uncle was mechanic and frame-builder until a near-fatal 1952 accident. Mother was fully supportive but protective — siblings only arrived after father's retirement.

Attended meetings from the mid-1950s, often doing homework in the main stand box. Vivid recollections of atmosphere — methanol/oil/shale smell, the tannoy, lights coming on at dusk. Had near-unrestricted pit access as a rider's son.

Describes Wimbledon as a well-attended, affordable family venue with good merchandise, bars open post-meeting, and riders accessible to fans. Crowds of 5–10,000, peaking when big clubs like Bellevue visited. Supporters' club dances were a notable social fixture; singles out "Mrs Batson" as an archetypal superfan.

Heroes include Ronnie Moore, Barry Briggs, Bobby Andrews, and Peter Craven. Bellevue was the chief rival; London derbies (West Ham, Wembley) also significant.

Notes home-track advantage was partly manufactured through track preparation (watering, shale depth). Recalls other skullduggery: gate-holding, deliberate contact, occasional pits altercations.

On safety: conditions were far more dangerous in his father's era (chain-link fences, minimal protective gear); improvements since then are significant but fatalities remain an inherent risk.

Father remained active post-retirement as chairman of the Speedway Riders Association, overseas technical advisor with England, and Monte Carlo Rally competitor. Also experimented with a midget car fitted with a speedway engine.

International competition existed in the 1950s — father rode in Ireland, Poland, Sweden, and Russia, with closed-season tours to South Africa and Australia (by boat). Steve attended an England tour of Poland in the early 1970s.

Sees the sport's decline as linked to reduced TV coverage, developer pressure on stadium sites, and general competition for leisure time. Regards Wimbledon's closure as a tragedy, and praises John Stevens for keeping the name alive.